The present invention relates to information recording medium such as tape cartridge and magneto-optical disk cartridge.
It is publicly known to mark two-dimensional codes on an outer surface of a main-body case of a tape cartridge of single-reel type, for instance, from JP 2002-367336 A (paragraph number 0024, FIG. 2). As is disclosed therein, inherent identifying information indispensable for quality control is expressed by two-dimensional codes, which are read for each tape cartridge in production process, and thus quality control can be carried out while products are identified. Nevertheless, details of the inherent identifying information that is indispensable for quality control and that is expressed by the two-dimensional codes are not described therein and thus not obvious. A similar proposal is found in JP 2002-373479 A (paragraph number 0021, FIG. 2).
For tape cartridge, in-cassette method and out-cassette method are among manners of winding a magnetic tape on a tape reel in a tape cartridge of single-reel type. In the in-cassette method, a magnetic tape is wound on a tape reel incorporated in a main-body case. In the out-cassette method, by contrast, a magnetic tape is wound on a tape reel, and the tape reel is thereafter incorporated into a main-body case.
In the in-cassette method for winding tape, production history data, characteristic data and the like for the magnetic tape (that will sometimes be referred to simply as “tape data,” hereinbelow) can be sent to a two-dimensional-code printing device in the next process, after the winding of the magnetic tape onto the tape reel incorporated in the main-body of the tape cartridge. Therefore, discrepancy is prevented between contents of the magnetic tape received in the main-body case and contents of the tape data of the two-dimensional codes printed on the main-body case.
In addition, the magnetic tape is wound on the tape reel incorporated previously in the main-body case, and therefore a database for management of production history can be produced in one process on basis of the tape data. Thus discrepancy is prevented between the contents of the magnetic tape received in the main-body case and contents of the tape data.
In the out-cassette method for winding tape, however, the tape reel wound with the magnetic tape and tape data are sent to the next process with both completely corresponding to each other, the tape reel is subsequently incorporated into the main-body case, and two-dimensional codes are printed on the main-body case in the still next process. Accordingly, there is a danger that the correspondence between the magnetic tape and the tape data may be mistaken in each case of when the tape reel and the tape data are sent to the assembly process, when the tape reel is incorporated into the main-body case, and when the two-dimensional codes are printed on the main-body case. As a result, a problem is caused in assurance of traceability (production history management) for tracing production history of tape cartridges and the like.
In the out-cassette method for winding tape, alternatively, the tape reel may be wound with the magnetic tape in a preceding process, the tape reel and tape data may be sent to the next process with both completely corresponding to each other, the tape reel may subsequently be incorporated in to the main-body case, and then a database for management of production history may be produced. In that case, there is a danger that the correspondence between the magnetic tape and the tape data may be mistaken in each case of when the tape reel and the tape data are sent to the assembly process, when the tape reel is incorporated into the main-body case and, additionally, when the database for management of production history is produced. As a result, a problem is caused in assurance of traceability for tracing production history of tape cartridges and the like.
On occasion of sampling inspection during the production, troubleshooting for failure in reading and writing in use of the tape cartridge, and the like, a tape reel wound with a magnetic tape is taken out of the main-body case. On condition that two-dimensional codes have been marked on an outer surface of the main-body case as is disclosed in JP 2002-376336 A, however, the correspondence between the tape reel and the main-body case is broken off in instant of the takeout of the tape reel from the main-body case. In this case also, there is a danger that the tape data may be mistaken, and a problem is similarly caused in the assurance of traceability.